1Which operator? Match the task to what you must do.
give your justified opinion / weigh up and judge / arguments for and against, then conclude / similarities and differences
a)Comment on …
b)Assess …
c)Discuss …
d)Compare …
2Introduction, body or conclusion? Write I, B or C.
Introductions raise the question; the body argues; the conclusion answers.
a)Firstly, it should be noted that …
b)To conclude, the evidence suggests …
c)The question of whether … has been debated for years.
d)A further argument is …
e)In the end, therefore, …
3Improve the thesis: make it precise and arguable.
A thesis takes a position that someone could disagree with.
a)„Social media is good and bad."
b)„Climate change is important."
4Write an introduction (three sentences) for: „Comment on the view that voting should be compulsory."
Hook: a fact, a question or a short scene.
a)Hook, context, thesis
1Which operator? Match the task to what you must do.
give your justified opinion / weigh up and judge / arguments for and against, then conclude / similarities and differences
a)Comment on …give your justified opinion
b)Assess …weigh up and judge
c)Discuss …arguments for and against, then conclude
d)Compare …similarities and differences
2Introduction, body or conclusion? Write I, B or C.
Introductions raise the question; the body argues; the conclusion answers.
a)Firstly, it should be noted that …B
b)To conclude, the evidence suggests …C
c)The question of whether … has been debated for years.I
d)A further argument is …B
e)In the end, therefore, …C
3Improve the thesis: make it precise and arguable.
A thesis takes a position that someone could disagree with.
a)„Social media is good and bad."e.g. Social media strengthens friendships but weakens public debate. / Social media harms young people less than its business model does.
b)„Climate change is important."e.g. Climate change will be decided by governments, not by individual consumers.
4Write an introduction (three sentences) for: „Comment on the view that voting should be compulsory."
Hook: a fact, a question or a short scene.
a)Hook, context, thesise.g. In Belgium, staying at home on election day can cost you a fine. Several democracies have made voting compulsory to fight falling turnout, and the idea is now being debated across Europe. In my view, compulsory voting treats a symptom while ignoring the disease — people stay away because they feel unheard, not because they are lazy.
1Understand the task. Rewrite each Abitur task in your own words: What exactly must you do, and in what form?
comment = give and justify your opinion. assess = weigh up and come to a judgement. discuss = arguments for and against, then a conclusion.
a)„Comment on the view that social media has made political debate worse."
b)„Assess the role of the individual in fighting climate change."
c)„Discuss whether English should be the only working language of the EU."
2Build the argument: For the first task in A, collect material.
Examples from your course topics (media, democracy, globalisation) count more than general statements.
a)Two arguments supporting the view (with a concrete example each):
b)Two arguments against (with example):
c)Your position in one sentence:
3Paragraph craft: Rewrite the weak paragraph so that it has a topic sentence, evidence, explanation and a link to the thesis.
Topic sentence → example/evidence → explanation of why it matters → link back.
a)Weak: „Social media is bad for debate. There are many fake news. People get angry. Also the algorithms. This shows that social media is bad."
4Write the comment (250 to 300 words) on the first task in A.
Vary sentence length. Use precise linking words (whereas, consequently, admittedly, in contrast). No „In this essay I will".
a)Introduction with a hook and your thesis, two or three body paragraphs, one counter-argument taken seriously, conclusion with an outlook or a demand.
1Understand the task. Rewrite each Abitur task in your own words: What exactly must you do, and in what form?
comment = give and justify your opinion. assess = weigh up and come to a judgement. discuss = arguments for and against, then a conclusion.
a)„Comment on the view that social media has made political debate worse."Give your own opinion on whether social media has damaged political debate and justify it with arguments and examples; a structured text with a clear thesis.
b)„Assess the role of the individual in fighting climate change."Weigh up how much a single person can achieve against climate change compared with governments and companies, and come to a judgement.
c)„Discuss whether English should be the only working language of the EU."Present arguments for and against one working language, consider consequences, and end with a reasoned conclusion.
2Build the argument: For the first task in A, collect material.
Examples from your course topics (media, democracy, globalisation) count more than general statements.
a)Two arguments supporting the view (with a concrete example each):e.g. Algorithms reward outrage (example: emotional posts spread faster than corrections); filter bubbles reduce contact with other views (example: recommendation feeds).
b)Two arguments against (with example):e.g. Movements can organise and be heard without media gatekeepers (example: Fridays for Future); fact-checking and open debate are possible in real time (example: community notes).
c)Your position in one sentence:e.g. Social media has not made debate worse in itself, but its business model has, and that is what should be regulated.
3Paragraph craft: Rewrite the weak paragraph so that it has a topic sentence, evidence, explanation and a link to the thesis.
Topic sentence → example/evidence → explanation of why it matters → link back.
a)Weak: „Social media is bad for debate. There are many fake news. People get angry. Also the algorithms. This shows that social media is bad."e.g. One reason why social media damages political debate is that its algorithms reward emotion rather than accuracy. Studies of major platforms have shown that posts expressing anger are shared several times more often than neutral corrections. As a result, the most extreme voices become the loudest, while measured arguments disappear from the feed. Debate thus becomes a competition in outrage rather than an exchange of reasons — which is exactly the view the task asks us to comment on.
4Write the comment (250 to 300 words) on the first task in A.
Vary sentence length. Use precise linking words (whereas, consequently, admittedly, in contrast). No „In this essay I will".
a)Introduction with a hook and your thesis, two or three body paragraphs, one counter-argument taken seriously, conclusion with an outlook or a demand.Own text. Check: hook and thesis, each paragraph with topic sentence and example, counter-argument answered, conclusion with outlook, 250 to 300 words, varied linking words.
1Plan an Abitur comment on: „Assess the claim that globalisation has done more harm than good to young people in Europe."
assess = weigh up with criteria; you must reach a judgement, not just list.
a)Define the terms you need (globalisation, harm/good, young people) in one sentence each.
b)Three aspects to assess, each with one argument for and one against the claim:
c)Your judgement and the criterion it rests on:
2Counter-argument technique: Write the full paragraph (five to six sentences) that takes the strongest objection to your judgement seriously and answers it.
Admittedly / It is true that / Critics rightly point out … However / Yet / Nevertheless …
a)Objection → why it has weight → why it does not change your judgement
3Style: Rewrite the paragraph in academic register without losing its point.
Precise nouns instead of „stuff", no „basically / OK", claims qualified, no stereotypes.
a)„Globalisation is basically great for young people. You can study anywhere, get cheap stuff and talk to people all over the world. OK, some jobs went to Asia, but that's just how it is. Old people complain, but young people don't care about borders anyway."
4Write the comment (300 to 350 words) on the task in A.
Each paragraph: topic sentence – evidence or example – explanation – link. Vary sentence openings.
a)Introduction with thesis, three body paragraphs by aspect, a counter-argument paragraph, conclusion with judgement and outlook.
1Plan an Abitur comment on: „Assess the claim that globalisation has done more harm than good to young people in Europe."
assess = weigh up with criteria; you must reach a judgement, not just list.
a)Define the terms you need (globalisation, harm/good, young people) in one sentence each.e.g. Globalisation: the increasing economic, cultural and digital connection between countries. Harm/good: effects on opportunities, security and identity. Young people: roughly 15 to 30, entering education and work.
b)Three aspects to assess, each with one argument for and one against the claim:e.g. Opportunities (for: mobility, Erasmus, online learning — against: competition with a global labour market, unpaid internships). Economy (for: cheaper goods, new industries — against: precarious jobs, housing pressure in global cities). Culture and identity (for: openness, exchange — against: loss of local culture, pressure from global platforms).
c)Your judgement and the criterion it rests on:e.g. Judgement: more good than harm, because the harms are mainly distributional and can be corrected by policy, whereas the gains in freedom and opportunity are structural. Criterion: reversibility and who bears the cost.
2Counter-argument technique: Write the full paragraph (five to six sentences) that takes the strongest objection to your judgement seriously and answers it.
Admittedly / It is true that / Critics rightly point out … However / Yet / Nevertheless …
a)Objection → why it has weight → why it does not change your judgemente.g. It is true that globalisation has made the labour market more insecure for young Europeans: they compete with applicants worldwide, and many begin their careers in temporary or unpaid positions. This objection has real weight, because insecurity shapes life decisions such as housing and family. However, the insecurity results from how governments and companies have organised the global market, not from openness itself. Countries with strong protection for young workers show that the same globalisation can go with secure entry into work. The problem is therefore political and can be solved, whereas closing borders would remove the opportunities as well.
3Style: Rewrite the paragraph in academic register without losing its point.
Precise nouns instead of „stuff", no „basically / OK", claims qualified, no stereotypes.
a)„Globalisation is basically great for young people. You can study anywhere, get cheap stuff and talk to people all over the world. OK, some jobs went to Asia, but that's just how it is. Old people complain, but young people don't care about borders anyway."e.g. Globalisation offers young people considerable advantages: they can study abroad, buy goods at lower prices and communicate across the world. Admittedly, some industrial jobs have moved to Asia, which has affected certain regions severely. While older generations may view these changes with concern, many young Europeans regard national borders as less significant than earlier generations did.
4Write the comment (300 to 350 words) on the task in A.
Each paragraph: topic sentence – evidence or example – explanation – link. Vary sentence openings.
a)Introduction with thesis, three body paragraphs by aspect, a counter-argument paragraph, conclusion with judgement and outlook.Own text. Check: definitions, thesis, three aspects with for and against, counter-argument answered, judgement with criterion, outlook, 300 to 350 words, academic register.
Read the operator
comment = your justified opinion. assess = weigh up with criteria and judge. discuss = both sides, then conclude. Define the terms you need in the introduction.
Paragraph craft
Topic sentence – evidence or example – explanation – link to the thesis. Examples from your course topics count more than general claims.
The counter-argument
Choose the strongest objection, state it fairly (It is true that …), then explain why it does not change your judgement (However …). A comment without a counter-argument is a monologue.